Cut-off-valve gear



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) 1

W. CMGHAMPLAIN.

GUT-OFF VALVE GEAR. No; 317,299. v Patented May 5, 1885'. I

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W; C. GHAMPLAIN.

GUT'OFF VALVE GEAR.

No. 317,299. Patented May 5, 1885.

Fla-3 w zw W 3' Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. 0. GHAMPLAIN.

CUT-OFF VALVE GEAR.

' (No Model.)

Patented May 5, 1885.

CV WWAPQXQLOWHQNW' L m Ursrrnn STATES PATENT truce.

WVILLIAM C. OHAMPLAIN, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF 'IWVO- THIRDS TO RICHARD WV. CHAMPLAIN, OF SAME PLACE, AND HENRY L. CHAMPLAIN, OF HARRISBURG, PENN SYLVANIA.

CUT-OFF-VALVE GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,299, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed January 15, 1885. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM O. CHAM- PLAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in South Chester, Delaware county, Pennsylva nia, have invented certain Improvements in Out-Off-Valve Gear for Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of certain improvements in the construction of devices for adjusting the variable cut-off mechanism of steam-engines, my present invention being designed as an improvement on the mechanism described and shown in the Letters Patent granted to me August 10, 1869, N 0. 93,414.

In my said patent I have shown myimprovements as applied to ahorizontal poppet-valve engine, while in the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as applied to a vertical engine of the same type.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detached views' showing the cut-off devices in their different relative positions when the engine is in operation; and Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the adjusting devices controlling the cut-off.

A is the vertical steamcylinder, with the usual piston and piston-rod, B, steam-valve chests a, and exhaust-valve chests b b, provided with poppet-valves of any suitable construotion. The spindles a a of the steamvalves are carried by the usual verticallyguided rods, D D, while the spindles b I), Fig. 2, of the exhaust-valves are carried by similar rods, D D; and these rods D D are provided with toes d d, to be acted on by wipers or lifting-arms E E, carried by the rock-shaft F, which is mounted in bearings in the frame of the engine. For the sake of simplicity only the steam-valve rods D D are shown as provided with operating devices, as toes and wipers of the ordinary form may be used for the exhaust. This rock-shaft F is operated from the crank-shaft K of the engine through the usual eccentric, k, or equivalent device, connecting-rod f, and crank f on the rockshaft, the eccentric strap and connecting-rod being supported by a suitable link, f suspended from the frame XV. two valve-rods D, with their wipers, project on opposite sides of the rock-shaft, as usual, so as to provide for the alternate operation of the valves; but in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 I have, for the sake of simplicity, shown a portion of only one valve-rod and its operating devices. These devices are substantially similar to those described in the aforesaid patent that is to say, each wiper E is loose on the shaft F, and has pivoted to it, with a limited extent of motion, a pawl, e, adapted to be acted on at its extreme end by an anti-friction roller, 9, on an arm or head, G, which is fixed to the shaft F and rocks therewith. On the shaft F is also mounted an arm, H, so as to be free to turn thereon, and this arm carries an anti-friction roller, h, adapted to bear on the upper face of the pawl e, to keep it in position to be acted on by the arm G, as shown in Fig. 5, until the steam is to be cut off, when the arm His withdrawn from the pawl, and the beveled end of the latter, sliding up the roller 9, as shown in Fig. 2, allows the rod D to drop and close the valve to cutoff the steam. The arm H receives its motion from a rockshaft, J, through a link, j, controlled as hereinafter described, and in order to vary the cutoff at different positions of the stroke of the piston the movement of the arm I-I must be adjusted relatively to the movement of the arm G, which is invariable. In my patented engine this adj 11stment is obtained by means of an adjustingscrew controlling a slotted guide acting on the blocks carrying the anti-friction rollers, which in turn act on the inner faces of the pawls. In my present invention I dispense. with this slotted plate and adjustable blocks, and obtain the adjustment through the medium of adjustable levers, through which the arms H H are controlled from the eccentric t on the crank-shaft K of the engine. The construction of these devices is illustrated more fully in Figs. 1 and 6.

The link j of one arm II is connected to an arm, j, on a transverse shaft, J, adapted to suitable hearings in the frame, while the The toes (Z of the h link j, of the other arm H, is connected to an arm, j secured to a sleeve, J, free to turn on the shaft J. This sleeve in effect forms a separate shaft, and carries at its outer end a crank, I, while the shaft J has a similar crank, I, and these cranks are connected by adjustable-links t t" to the opposite ends of a cross head or arm, L, which is adapted to guides,

and forms in effect part of a rocking lever,

L, mounted in a bearing in the frame of the engine. This rocking lever is controlled by the eccentric i on the crank-shaft of the engine through the medium of the connectingrod 1'.

The position of the arm L on the rocking lever L is controlled by a hand-lever, M, pivoted at m to the frame, and connected by a link, m, to the arm L. This hand-lever is provided with means for securing it in any position to which it may be adj ustedas, for instance, a bolt and handled nut, m, adapted to a fixed slotted frame, a. When the arm L is raised to the position shown in Fig. 1, for instance, the arms H will be so moved through the cranks I I, shaft J, and sleeve J, and their arms and links j as to keep the arms H in ac tion on the pawls e for a longer time, and so cut off the steam nearer the end of the stroke, while by moving the hand-lever M and arm L downward the arms H will retain the pawls e in action for a shorter time, and so cut off the steam at any earlier part of the stroke.

Instead of adjusting the arm L by hand it may, if desired, be connected to and controlled by a governor, as described with reference to the slotted guide-plate in my former patent.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the rock-shaft carrying arms G, and the valve-lifting wiper having a pawl, c, with an arm, H, adapted to act on said pawl, rock-shaft J, controlling the arm H, eccentric l, and adjustable arm and levers, through which motion is transmitted from said eccentric to the rock-shaft J.

2. The combination of the rock-shaft carrying arms G and the valve-lifting Wiper having pawl c with an arm, H, adapted to act on said pawl, rock-shaft J, controlling the arm H, eccentric Z, rocking lever L,and arm L, adjustable thereon and connected to a crank on said shaft J, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. CHAMPLAIN.

\Vitnesses:

HARRY SMITH, HENRY HowsoN, Jr. 

